Be The Best You Can be

 

We are on the cusp of a new year. The past year has been another unusual and stressful time in the history of the United States and the world. It has challenged us in many ways. Now we look ahead to the new year. We cannot possibly know what awaits us. But we can establish standards, boundaries, goals and markers. Some people call these resolutions.

Goals are a good thing. Just the process alone can help us identify strengths and weaknesses. So, as you look at 2026, and as you assess your present situation, wherever you may be, what resolutions will you make?

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), the great Puritan preacher, once prepared a list of more than 70 resolutions. Here are a few of them: · Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, · Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live. · Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can. · Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, as if it were the last hour of my life. · Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge. · Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone. · Resolved, to let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak. · Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking. · Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it. · Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance. · Resolved, to study the Scriptures, so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

[1 Timothy 4:12] “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Timothy in the Bible was a young man and a preacher. He had been a protégé of the great apostle Paul, and Paul had left him to minister in Ephesus. Paul knew the great potential within him, so when he wrote his first epistle to Timothy, He wanted to encourage the young man to be the best that he could be.

There’s a saying that has become popular of late that I really like. It is this: “Be the best version of yourself.” I like it because it does emphasize being yourself. It is important to be you, to be unique, and to be who God made you. Don’t change that. But it’s also important to be the best possible you. And what Paul is reminding Timothy of is that he needs to be the best possible version of himself. He was an exceptional young man, and he could do a lot of good if he reached his full potential. But to do that he needs to be to be the best possible version of himself in his words, actions, and even inside of his very being.

Someone once noted that “Most people are human ‘doings’ – we need to be human ‘beings’.” That’s true. Most people focus on what they do (i.e. merit through human effort). Let us focus more on what to “be.” “Being” means that it becomes an integral part of us. If we change the “being” aspect of our lives, then the proper “doings” will follow. Be a Christian. Be faithful. Be kind-hearted. Be loving. Be compassionate. Be concerned. Be forgiving. Be the best version of yourself – from the inside out. If you be the best version of yourself, would your family be happier or more miserable? If you be the best version of yourself, would your church family be friendlier or more unfriendly? If you be the best version of yourself, would the world be better or worse? The answers are obvious.  

“Be all God wants you to be.” “Be the best version of yourself.”

May the coming year hold many blessings and joys for you as you love God and serve him every day! Prayer: Grant, O God, the strength to do your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God's Incredible Gift!

 

As we were putting out cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, I accidentally dropped one. “No problem,” I said, picking it up and dusting it off before placing it back on the plate. “You can’t do that,” argued my four-year-old. “Don’t worry. Santa will never know.” He shot me a look. “So, he knows if I’ve been bad or good, but he doesn’t know the cookie fell on the floor?”

The line starts to form around 4:30 in the morning. The goal of the people in line is to buy up the stock of doughnuts at Donut City, a small, family-owned shop in Seal Beach, California. By 7:30 the doughnuts had all been purchased.

The motivation of the buyouts? To allow the shop owner, John Chhan, to be able to leave work and be with his ailing wife, Stella, who recently suffered an aneurysm. The Chhans opened the shop over 30 years ago and have had a steady stream of regular and loyal customers throughout the decades. John and Stella worked side by side the entire time. She would make the doughnuts, and he would sell them. When Stella became sick, John refused to allow his customers to set up any crowdfunding sites to help with medical expenses. That’s when the patrons came up with the buyout plan. Out of love for the Chhans, people regularly pay the price so a husband and wife can be together as much as possible.

[Romans 5:12; 6:23] Sin entered the world through disobedience of God’s word in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3), and the wage of sin is death (God sacrificed animals, the first blood sacrifice for sin, and made coverings for Adam and Eve to wear; Genesis 3:21).

People without Christ as their Savior are deathly ill. God wants badly for those people not to die, but to live with Him for eternity (John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God is patiently awaiting our repentance for sin.

So that humanity would have the opportunity to spend eternity with God, a buyout had to take place, and Jesus was the price for that buyout (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Sin had to be paid for in order for it to be removed from those willing to accept God’s offer of salvation.

Colossians 1:13 states that God has transferred us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son. According to verse 14, the payment for that transfer was God’s Son, Himself (the final blood sacrifice for sin). The motivation for the buyout? To allow humankind to be with God for eternity. The price has been paid out of God’s love for humanity. God is not willing that any should perish in their sins.

The Christmas holidays are upon us, and the world around us is filled with the noble notions of gift-giving. “What am I going to get my spouse?” “Will my kids like this gift?” “What can I do for my boss and co-workers?” Giving gifts is a godly behavior, and we should all remember that our Lord said it is better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

It is good to rejoice in giving! But in all of our giving, did we remember to put God on our list? Did we remember to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2)? Did we think to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him (Colossians 1:10)? Did we remember to wrap up a huge present of thankfulness for our salvation through Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:12)?

In all the hubbub and scrambling to find the perfect present for those we love, did you remember to put the Lord on your list? Let’s remember Him today and every day for His indescribable gift (2 Corinthians. 9:15)! “Thanks be to God for His incredible gift” - JESUS

In God We Trust

 

The Rev. Mark R. Watkinson, pastor of Prospect Hill Baptist Church of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania, wrote a letter petitioning the Treasury Department to “recognize Almighty God” on American coins. In 1861, the nation was in the early stages of a civil war. Watkinson was well aware that the Confederacy had turned to God in their constitution. The Pennsylvania preacher wanted everyone to know that the southern rebels did not have a monopoly on God. “The ignominy of heathenism,” that is, the Confederacy, Watkinson wrote, must realize that God favored the Union not the Confederacy, and that, for their part, the Union trusted in God. The letter was written November 13, 1861. “In God We Trust.” It soon became a rallying cry — for both sides in the war. In the South, soldiers often carried a flag imprinted with the motto: “Our cause is just, our duty we know; In God we trust, to battle we go.” By the mid-1950s, “In God We Trust” was on our coins and paper money. On July 30, 1956, President Eisenhower signed legislation declaring the phrase to be the national motto. Days later, he would be anointed the standard bearer for the Republican Party and be re-elected in November. “In God We Trust” might be the most well-known motto in the world. But it leads us to the question, “In whom do we really trust?” And then there’s the question, “What does it mean to trust in God?”

(Proverbs 3:5-6) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your path.” As to the first question, let’s remember that God has clearly revealed a moral code by which we should live. It’s a sign that we trust God when we follow it. It’s a sign that we do not trust God when we don’t. This answers the second question as well. In short, those who trust in God tend to stay within the lanes, as it were. They honor God with their obedience and service. They are the people who follow the advice in Proverbs 3. - Timothy Merrill

[James 1:22] “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” It isn’t popular to quote the Bible. It is even less popular to believe the Bible is God’s Word. Many who proclaim to be “Christians” do not believe the Bible. Does that remind you of the Jews in the first century? They ridiculed Jesus when He claimed to be the Son of God. They accused Him of doing miracles in the name of Beelzebub. They asked to see a “sign” but didn’t believe the miracles they had already witnessed by His hand (Luke 11:14-20).

The times change but the attitude of “the world” changes little, if any. Over and over, the Israelites and the Jews were commanded to obey God. Time after time, they rejected God’s plea, preferring to be like their neighbors who were not “constrained” by the things God said. Like many today, they want His blessings when in need but prefer to keep Him at arm’s length at other times.

Those of us who believe the Scriptures are inspired by God and MUST be obeyed are considered religious fanatics. We are often called the “sect” because we believe we must speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent. That’s okay. We must obey God and not man (Acts 5:29). When James wrote, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only,” that’s what the Holy Spirit told him to write, and for us to obey. Most of the Israelites did not make it to the promised land because of unbelief. Let us not let unbelief keep us from our “promised land” of heaven that is reserved for those who do God’s will. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven… I will declare to them, “I never knew you; …” (Matthew 7:21-23). In whom else, and in what else, would I put my trust, except in you, O Lord? Guide me in the paths of righteousness.

A Wobbly Chair and God's Grace

 

It’s the first of the month. For many of you (us), this means your next Social Security check has or will arrive soon or be deposited into your bank account. Are you aware that you owe your Social Security check to a rickety, wobbling chair? Here’s the story. It was a rickety chair that allowed the New Deal to happen. Go back to the 1930s. The United States was deep into the Great Depression. The national unemployment rate hit 24.9 percent. People were hungry, lining up for blocks in major cities to get a cup of soup. Franklin Roosevelt, who had just been elected president, was speaking at a rally in Chicago. In the audience was Giuseppe Zangara, an anarchist who was only five feet tall, but ten feet tall in his heart. He blamed all of his myriad problems on capitalists and politicians. He didn’t know the president from Adam, but the misguided soul thought that he was responsible for all of his sordid problems. Zangara bought a five-shot .32-caliber revolver and got ready. Zangara, a short man, was no taller than Zacchaeus, but rather than climbing a tree, he stood on a chair to get a better view. He climbed up on the chair, raised his pistol, took aim, and just at that moment, the chair wobbled. His shot went wild, and tragically, the mayor of Chicago, who was shaking hands with Roosevelt, took the bullet instead and later died.

If Roosevelt had been shot and killed, his conservative running mate, John Nance Garner, would have become president. Most historians agree that Garner would never have brought in the sweeping reforms FDR did. If that chair hadn’t wobbled, our history would have been quite different. You never know. Perhaps Congress would have passed a different form of Social Security. The point is that you never know how something as small as a wobbly chair might change the course of history. The Bible reminds us that “The human mind plans the way, but the LORD directs the steps.”

(Proverbs 16:9). Even in the tiniest details of life, God’s hand is at work in ways we may never fully understand. Life is full of moments where small, unnoticed events have huge consequences. A single conversation, a brief delay, or even a shaky chair can alter history. The same is true in our own lives. Our actions, no matter how small, can shape the future in ways we cannot imagine. —Timothy Merrill HomeTouch 11/2/25

[2 Corinthi­ans 9:8] “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all suffi­ciency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work”.

After many years of ministry, I’ve learned two important things. First, God’s servants are totally dependent upon the grace of God. God’s grace or favor provides far more than forgiveness. God shapes and molds us into the kind of peo­ple that He wishes us to be.

In Philippians 1:6 Paul wrote, “…being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will com­plete it until the day of Jesus Christ…” Yes, God expects us to use the talents and abilities He gives us, but we should never forget that every good gift comes from Him (James 1:17). Paul urges us, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippi­ans 2:12–13). 

Second, we are wholly dependent upon the kindness of God to provide for our needs and the needs of His ministry. God does not send us into His vineyard emp­ty-handed and ill-equipped. God’s grace abounds so that we have all sufficiency in all things at all times for every good deed. When faithful Christians ask, God answers; when they seek, He helps them find; and when they knock, the Lord opens the door (Matthew 7:7-11). God truly answers prayer and supplies all our needs.

God's Enduring Love

 

Psalms 100: “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” NKJV

One of the over-riding messages of Psalm 100 is that we sing to bring our hearts, our minds, and our spirits into the presence of God. Our worship of God should be one of gladness. There should be a joy that overwhelms us as we come into God’s presence. It excites us so that we should want to shout our thanks to the Lord. In our thanksgiving we recognize that the Lord is good and “His steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136 ESV). Why do we sing in worship? It brings us into the presence of God Himself.

[1 John 4:8] “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Some themes are so great that comment only seems to detract. Words are just inadequate. One such theme is the love of God. Because “God is love,” His every act must be interpreted in that context. God’s love was shown in the creation of the universe. “We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks! For your wonderous works declare that your name is near” (Psalm 75:1). “For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:18). God’s wonderful world declares His wonderous love. God’s love is shown in every blessing He showers upon us. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Everything I have, God gave me! Everything I will have, God will give me! Every blessing is a manifestation of God’s love. God’s love is shown in His plan for redeeming us. Our sins alienate us from Him (Isaiah 59:1-2). Instead of withdrawing His love, God planned for our redemption. He does not want us to be lost forever! (2 Peter 3:9). He wants us to be saved from our sins! “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). What Love God has for each of us! God’s love is shown in the sacrifice of His Son. This was, and is, the manifestation of His love. The golden text of the Bible is: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

We can only say with the apostle Paul, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). Indescribable gift of love! It “…passes knowledge…” (Ephesians 3:19).

God loves us! He gave His Son for us! Such love constrains us to live for Him! “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus; that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). This is why we gladly comply with His will. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). “Loving God, I praise You for all of Your bountiful blessings! You are rich in mercy and grace, and I am the grateful recipient of all You offer daily. In Jesus’ name.”